Grouville Hoard, Celtic coin collection in Grouville, Jersey.
The Grouville Hoard is a collection of roughly 70,000 Celtic and Roman coins fused together in a clay mass that weighs about 750 kilograms (1,650 pounds). The coins remain embedded in this unified archaeological deposit, from which conservation experts carefully extract individual pieces.
The collection was discovered by metal detectorists in 2012 after searching for three decades, following silver coins found by farmers in the 1980s. This extended search eventually led to locating this significant deposit, which is now being systematically examined.
The coins come from several Celtic tribes in Brittany and Normandy, particularly the Curiosolitae who minted currency near what is now Saint-Malo. This connection reveals the trade routes and relationships that linked these coastal regions in ancient times.
The collection is on display at La Hougue Bie Museum, where conservators continue extracting individual items from the clay mass. Visitors can observe the preservation work in progress and learn about the techniques used to carefully recover each piece.
Beyond the coins, the hoard also contains two gold torcs, silver bracelets, gold sheets, fine silver wire, and glass beads. These additional items reveal that this is an exceptionally rich collection of valuables, far more than coins alone.
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